Belt buckle



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,654

I H. G. HANCOCK 7 BELT BUCKLE Filed July 23. 1926 the belt without any loss of holding strength.

Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE HANCOCK, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO NORTHfic JUDD 7 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT. I

BELT BUCKLE.

Application filed July 23,

This invention relates to belt buckles of that type in which one end of a belt is connected to a gripping lever so that the tension on the belt tends to hold the gripping member firmly against the free end of the belt to clamp the same to the buckle frame. An object of the invention is to provide a gripping or clamping member which will automatically adapt itself to the thickness of The invention is illustrated in the ace-our panying drawing and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the appended ciairns.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a belt buckle embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken longitudinally of the buckle;

Figure 3 is a transverse section;

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of the blank from which the anchoring or gripping lever is formed;

Figure 5 a detail perspective of the clamping member.

The buckle body consists of a front plate 1 of any approved form, and which may be ornamented as desired, having side flanges 2 with inwardly projecting overhanging ears 3 for guiding the belt. The side flanges are also formed with perforated extensions or lugs 4 constituting bearii'igs for the trunnions 5 at the ends of the gripping lever. The gripping lever is stamped from sheet metal and comprises a body portion 6 having an eye or cut-out 7 through which one end of the belt is passed to anchor the belt to the buckle. In the blank, a relatively narrow lip 8 extends from the main portion of the body along the base of the cut-out, and a wider lip 9 extends along the opposite side of said body portion but'terminates short of the trunnions 5. The clamping member 10 is a hardened resilient steel strip having its ends turned under its intermediate portion whereby it acquires the form of a split elliptical loop, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. The intermediate portion of the clamping member is grooved or creased longitudinally whereby its edges are caused to project relatively outwardly to constitute gripping jaws 11. To assemble the gripper or clamping member with the lever, the lip 9 is bent outwardly, as at 12, at a right angle to the main body portion and then inwardly 1926 Serial No. 124,435.

parts are assembled, the working side of the gripper is concave in the direction of the iength of the lever and of the front plate, and that-the ma or axis of the loop defined by the gripper is somewhat greater than the width of the web or lip 13 of the lever but less than the width of the front plate so that, while the gripper will be carried by and remain on the lever, resilient action of the working side of the gripper will be accom- J modated. The gripper, girdling the offset web of the lever, will thus automatically adjust lL-SOlf to the thickness of the belt.

It will be seen that asthe gripping and anchoring lever is swung toward the front plate of the buckle, the gripper will be forced into engagement with the belt and the resiliency of the gripper with its bowed formation permits it to accommodate belts of various thicknesses without any loss of efliciency in the buckle or shifting of the.

lever to a position uncomfortable to the wearer. The gripper is carried permanently by the lever but is preferably assembled somewhat'looscly so that it will have a floating action and will accommodate irregularities which may occur in the formation of any of the parts or which may develop from use.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is p j 1. A belt buckle comprising a. buckle body, a lever mounted thereon, and a grip per permanently carried by the lever, the gripper consisting of a split elliptical loop, and there being retaining elements on the lever extending over the terminals of the loop and across the edges thereof.

2. A belt buckle comprising a buckle body, a lever mounted pivotally thereon and having open end portions adjacent its pivotal mountings, and a gripper permanently carried by the lever and consisting of ga ed loosely body, a lever mounted thereon and having lip portions extending toward the front of the body parallel with the pivotal axis of the lever and a bridging portion extending between said lip portions, and a gripper consisting of asplit loop having its ends enetween said lip portions and an er the bridging portion of the lever.

4. A belt buckle comprising a buckle body, a lever pivoted on the body, and a gripper consisting of a hardened metal resilient loop loosely engaged with the lever and having a bowed portion extending transversely of the lever and disposed between the lever and the buckle body whereby it may expand and contract freely to accommodate belts of different thicknesses.

5. A belt buckle comprising a buckle body, a. lever pivoted on the body, and a resilient gripper consisting of a split loop:

bowed transversely of the lever between the lever and the body and havin its end portions loosely engaged with the side edges of the lever.

6. A belt buckle comprisin 'a buckle body, at lever mounted on the b0 y and having s trensverselyextending web disposed between its fulcrum and the front of the body, and a gripper consisting of an elliptical loop passing transversely around said web of the lever and loose thereon whereby it may expand and contract free of the lever. V i j 7. A belt buckle comprising a buckle body, a lever pivotally mounted on the body and having a transversely extending web disposed between its fulcrum and the front of the body, and a. resilient elliptical gripper consisting of a loop loosely encirclin said web of the lever transversely'thereo and permanently carried thereby.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

HORACE e. HANoooKL 

